Switchboard-plug.



R. M. DE VIGNIER.

SWITGHBOARD PLUG.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 1, 1912.

1 1631 731 Patented June 30,1914.

near more DE "VIGNILER, or

ELECTRIC COWANY, 011

Hours-manor; new roniajassrenon 'ro wns'rnian new roan, n. Y., A coaronarrou or rumors.

SWITCHBOA-JPLUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 3,*1914L.

Application filed March 1, 1912. Serial No. 680,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT Morr DE VIcNinR, citizen of the United States, resid ing at Hollis Terrace, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switchboard-Plugs, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to switchboard plugs, and more particularly to multiple conductor twin plugs, and has for its object to provide an improved plug of this general type which'wfll be, of few and simple parts, rigid in its construction, with all of the parts readily accessible and easily assembled.

According to the invention there is provided a body consisting of plate and stem portions anda plurality of contact members or plugs secured to said plate and extending through the same so that the rear portions lie along side of'the stem. Preferably a handle or shell is provided which-is secured to the body and embraces the stem and rear portions of the plugs. The stem serves as a support for cord conductors which connect with the plugs. The rear portion of the stem may be cylindrical in shape and extends entirely through the han- I dle or shell.

Other features of the invention relate to the construction of the plug body for facilitating terminal connections, the means for attaching the plug to a cord and the arrangement and method of securing a handle or protect ing shell over the parts.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of a plug embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is longitudinal sectional view showing details of construction of the lu p A s shown in the drawings, there are provided two plugs or contact members, each comprising a sleeve member 5 and a tip member 6 located in said sleeve member and insulated therefrom by means ofa collar 7 and sleeve 8 of suitable insulating material. Each of the sleeve members 5 is provided on one end with a screw-threaded portion 9 adapted to engage screw-threaded openings in a supporting plate 10 const1- tuting part of the body of the plug. A shoulder 11 on each of said contact members bears against the outer face of the plate 10. The inner end of each of the tip contact members 6 is provided with a screwthreaded portion 14 adapted to receive a clamping nut 12 by means of which the contact members 6 and, insulating sleeve 8 are secured to the sleeve contact member 5. A washer of insulating'm-aterial 13 is inserted bet-ween the nut 12 and the inner end of the sleeve contact member 5.

Formed integrally with the plate 10 and located between the screw-threaded openings thereinis a stem 15, the outer end of which is in the form of a screw-threaded sleeve 16 through which a conductor cord 17 may be inserted. The sleeve opening is made of a size such that thecord 17 can only be inserted therein by a turning motion which will cause the serving thereon to take into the threads of the sleeve. Provided on the stem 15 adjacent the inner end of the sleeve 16 is a cut-away portion 18. which exposes the inner end of the said sleeve and provides a space for drawing conductors 19 and 20 of the cord into place. This cut-away portion 18 extends fora short distance along the stem 15 and terminates in grooves 21, 21 upon opposite sides of said stem. In the assembling of the plug the conductors 19 and 20 are brought in through the sleeve 16, are crossed over each other in the cut-away portion 18 and led through the grooves 21, 21, the inner ends of said conductors being adapted to be I same general contour as the said body portion and clamping members 25,25. Screws 31, 31 which are inserted through openings in the end of the shell engage the threads in the clamping members 25, 25 to clamp the shell 30 against the plate 10. .The cord shown is a three-conductor cord, and a third conductor 35 thereof is stripped of insulation andturned back onto the body of the cord so that when the cord is inserted into the sleeve 18 the conductor 35 is firmly secured in contact with the stem and thus .in electrical connection with the Sleeve contact members 5, 5. The conductors 19 and 20 will be electrically connected with the tip contact members 6, 6. The openings in 'the shell 30, which receive the screws 31,

31, are .counterbored to conceal the heads of said screws. .In attaching the cord to the plug, the shell is first slipped over the cord, the conductors 19 and 20 passed through the sleeve .16 of the stem 15, and

i then the butt of the cord is forced into the sleeve with the conductor 35 turned back into position to be clampled between the cord 1. In a switchboard plug in combination,

a T shaped body comprising a plate and a stem formed integrally therewith said stem having grooves therein, a set of contact members electrically and mechanically secured to said plate, a second set of contact members insulated from said first mentioned set of contact members and meansonsaid second set of contact members adjacent said grooves for attaching cord conductors to sald second set of contact members.

2. In a switchboard plug in combination, a T shaped body comprising a plate and astem formed integrally therewith said stem being provided with grooves and 'cord attaching means, sleeve contacts electrically and mechanically connected with said body, tip contacts-insulated from said sleeve contact members and having their inner ends located adjacent the grooves in said stem and clamping means forattaching cord conductors to the inner ends of said tip contact members.

3. In a switchboard plug in combination,

a T shaped body comprising a plate and a stem formed integrally therewith, said stem having a cut-away portion and grooves formed in its-body and being, provided on one end with a screw threaded sleeve opening through said stem body adjacent to said cut-away portion to receive a conductor cord,

inner ends of said tip contacts, a s

sleeve contacts attached to said plate, tip contacts insulated from said sleeve contacts and having their inner ends located adjacent to said grooves-and conductor attaching means on the inner ends of said tip contacts. 1

4. In a switchboard plug in combination, a body comprising a plate and a stem formed integrally therewith, a pair, of. sleeve contacts secured to said plate, tip contacts pass ing through said sleeve contacts and said plate, conductor clamping members upon the inner ends of said tip contacts, ashell inclosing said stem and clamping members and securing means for said shell cooperating with said clamping members.

5. In a switchboard plug in combination, a bod pair of sleeve contacts secured to said plate y comprising a plate and a centrally. located stem formed. integrally therewith, a-

one upon either side 01g said stem, tip contacts passing through said sleeve contacts and having their inner ends screw-threaded,

screw-threaded clamping members u on the l iell for inclosing' said stem and clamping members,

and screws passing through said shell and engaging with said clamping-members.

6. The combination of a T-shaped body comprising plate and stem portions, a plurality of plugs secured to said plate, the rear ends thereof lying along the stem portion of the body, and cord conductors extending through and supported by said stem and connected to said plugs.

7. The combination of a T-shaped body comprising plateand stem portions, 2. plurality of plugs. secured to said plate, the rear ends thereof lying along the stem POI:

tion of the body, cord conductors extending through and supported by said stem and connected to said plugs, and a shell embracing said stem and the rear portions of said plugs. I 8. The combination with a T-shaped body consisting of plate and stem portions, of a plurality of plugs secured to said plate and extending through the same, the rear portions of said plugs lying along the stem portion, and a shell secured to said body .and

embracing said stem and rear portions of the plugs.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of Feb. A; D. 1912. ROBERT-MOTT DE VIGNIER. Witnesses:

WALTER F. HorrMAN, Invmo MACDONALD. 

